Conard, Hall Vie for More Than Bragging Rights

The town is buzzing over one of the most pivotal -football games in the rivalry’s 55 years.

Conard is 9-0, seeded third in the Class LL race for the top eight playoff slots and has earned no worse than a share of the CCC Division I West championship. Hall (8-1) would like a piece of conference pie and to solidify its fifth-place standing in the race.

The McKee Stadium kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m., preceded by ceremonies honoring seniors from both schools.

Despite the bragging rights and everything else at stake, coach Rob Cersosimo and his staff have prepared Conard the same way he prepares for every football game. Playing well against Hall is all the Chieftains can control. Who gets home-field advantage for the ‘LL’ quarterfinals and who the Chieftains may draw are among the trappings that will fall where they may.

“I never even look at the standings,” he said. “We’re so singly focused on the game we’re playing each week that we don’t concern ourselves with anything but that. Our job is to play that game, not to look forward. You just take care of what you’re doing.”

The Chieftains have taken care of business quite efficiently. They average over 36 points per game while allowing just under eight. They racked up 108 points in their last two games while yielding but 13, and who can say if would have even gotten the 13 if it weren’t for the 50-point rule.

Only twice have teams played them within a touchdown, both times on the road. They edged 13-10 on a field goal by Dominic Spaulding on October 1, and held off Manchester 20-14 on October 28.

“They’re very physical and they do a great job on the line, but even with that being said they have excellent running backs and receivers,” Hall coach Frank Robinson III said. “They’re very athletic, very strong and we’re going to have to play a great game.”

The Warriors retain a decent chance to make the LL’s even with a defeat, but that could wind up sending them to Middletown to play undefeated Xavier, ranked first in the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance . The antidote for that fate is to beat Conard and gain a quarterfinal home game.

Should either or both teams get home games, athletic director Betty Remigino-Knapp said temporary lights would be brought in to accommodate the CIAC football committee rule requiring quarterfinal contests to start at 6:30 p.m. (Tuesday, Nov. 29). The semifinals will be played at neutral sites yet to be determined. The finals are slated for Rentschler Field.

Hall averages 30.1 points per game and allows 17.1. The Warriors’ lone blemish came October 6 in a 19-0 loss at . They have won five straight since.

In comparing the teams’ schedules, both played CCC Division I West foes Simsbury, Southington, New Britain and Newington. Both defeated Glastonbury, South Windsor, East Hartford and Glastonbury from Division I East.

The only difference in their slates was that Conard trounced RHAM-Hebron (4-4) on the road, 38-6, while Hall had to battle from behind to subdue a 6-2 squad, 36-26.

Junior quarterback Owen Snyder (21 of 46, 474 yards, 9 TDs, 1 int.) runs the Conard offense, which prefers to grind out long, clock-consuming drives by handing the ball to crushing runners Ricky Cotton (151 carries, 1,158 yards, 13 TDs) or Dominic Spaulding (33-252-2).

Much of the credit goes to the Chieftains offensive line – tackles Chris Reckmeyer and E.J. Volpe, guards Michael Fisher and Eric Cravo and center Nate Gockel.

“[Assistant coaches] Jeff Redman, P.J. Foley and Steve Garneau work with the line and they do an outstanding job on both sides of the ball,” Cersosimo said. “They’re totally into the kids and totally into getting them better every day. Our individuals are as good as any kids anywhere but we play as a unit. Every kid needs to play to the best of his ability so they strive to make every kid play their best and the kids are very receptive.”

Anthony Lugo (10 catches, 271 yards) and L.J. Colon (5 catches, 4 for TDs) have been effective receivers in when Cersosimo opts to stretch the defense.

Senior George Lund (97-for-188, 1,218 yards, 15 TDs) guides Hall’s offense, which generally uses a spread with four wide receivers – Ian Dugger (50 catches, 791 yards, 11 TDs), Devin Ortiz (28-351-3), L.T. Nembhard (15-159-1) and Ernie Green (10-159-2).

Opposing coaches speak glowingly of Dugger, a bona fide All-State candidate, and how he was the focus of their defensive schemes, but he’s got plenty of help.

“It is a team game,” Robinson said. “It is 11 guys. Dugger’s a great asset that we have and we definitely want him to get the ball but there are other guys who have to do it as well. If they aren’t making plays, we’re going to have problems.”

Power backs Christian Bohn (128 carries, 658 yards, 6 TDs) and Jesse Maltz (37-233-2) are the key components in the running game.

No team succeeds without quality line play, and Hall’s group – center Zach Duzan, guards Cole Souza and Josh Wheeler and tackles Tobi Lichtenstein and Keye Frank – rivals Conard’s. 

Conard’s defense is led by outside linebacker Reckmeyer (5 ½ sacks) among the front seven and cornerback Lugo (4 picks, 3 for TDs) in the secondary.

Dugger (83) and Ortiz (61) are Hall’s top tacklers. Adam Glynn has a team-best four interceptions.